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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

GHATAM, An Amazing Taal Vaadya

Ghatam

Ghatam

What is Ghatam?

Ghatam is a percussion instrument used in south India for classical music. It is an earthen pot. Ghatam is a Sanskrit word. To play this instrument the artiste should have a great sense of rhythm. The player uses his fingers, thumbs, palms and heels of their hands to produce sound on its outer surface. When the mouth of the pot is hit with open hands, an airy low pitch bass sound is produced which is called as Gumki. A variety of tones can be produced by hitting different areas of the pot with different parts of hands. Sometimes artiste presses the mouth of the pot against his belly to deepen the tone of the bass stroke. It is an another way of producing Gumki. Ghatam is an accompanying instrument played along with Mridangam in a concert of Carnatic music. It is very interesting to see when the player throws Ghatam in air for three times in attaining a 'TIHAEE' of the TAAL. 
Some other versions of Ghatam are played in Konkan area while singing Bhajans and Arati. This is usually called a Ghat. Its mouth is covered with goat skin.
Even though it is an ordinary Indian domestic clay pot, it is a specially made musical instrument.

Types of Ghatam

There are two types of Ghatam  seen in Carnatic music concerts.
1.Madras Ghatam
This Ghatam is a light weighed pot. Very little force is required to play             it.Generally fast patterned compositions are played on it.
2.Manamadurai Ghatam
This is a heavy and thick pot with tiny shards of brass mixed in the                clay. Since it is heavy, it is difficult to play on this kind of Ghatam. It produces sharp metallic ringing sound which is very soothing to ears.


Strokes

The areas of sound production on the Ghatam are bottom , middle and upper portion of the belly, as well as at the neck and the mouth of it.


Enchanting Sounds on a Ghatam

Tha -With left hand. Middle, ring and little finger's combined stroke on the upper portion.Bellykha - With right hand's middle, ring and little fingers combined stroke on the upper bell.Ti - With left index finger on upper belly.Na - With right index finger on upper belly.Ku -  With left thumb on the neck.Na - With right thumb on the neck.Thom - A stroke of left wrist on the neck.Ghum - A stroke of right wrist on the neck.Gumki - The palm stroke on the mouth > bass tone. 



Written by Shivani Rao